A SUSPECT package was blown up by army officers yesterday after two bomb scares at the heart of Bangor.

A SUSPECT package was blown up by army officers yesterday after two bomb scares at the heart of Bangor.

The centre of the city was brought to a standstill.

The first suspect device was found at public toilets near the bus station in Garth Road while another suspicious package was later reported at the University of Wales in College Road, Bangor.

Hundreds of shoppers and workers were evacuated from the city centre after the Army bomb disposal unit was called in.

They carried out a controlled explosion in Garth Road, causing a loud bang which could be heard throughout the city. Police later said the package had been made to look like a bomb.

Last night, police were carrying out inquiries into the incident while forensic officers were investigating what remained of the device.

A police spokesman later confirmed that the package at the public toilets had been a hoax.

The drama started at

12.45pm when a member of the public told the police that there was a suspect package in the gents' toilets.

Traffic was diverted as police closed all roads leading to the bus station and all car parks were cordoned off. The police station, the magistrates' courts next door and the nearby BT telephone exchange, post office and Citizens' Advice Bureau were evacuated.

A bomb disposal unit checked the device at 2.30pm and then went up to the University to check out the second suspect package

They arrived back in the city centre at 3.30pm, complete with a motorised robot which was not needed. A bomb disposal officer wearing a blastproof suit and protective head gear made his way to the toilets shortly afterwards.

After 10 minutes, he exploded the device and left the toilets carrying a case, which was then handed to the sceneof-crime forensic experts.

There was chaos as many drivers were unable to return to their cars.

A BT spokesman said staff were alerted by a phone call by police.

He said 80 members of staff had been told to leave their offices in Deiniol Road.

The staff handle emergency calls which were diverted to other exchanges during yesterday's scare.

"We have back-up procedures," said the spokesman as he stood with workmates on the pavement outside BT telephone interchange.

Staff mingled with bus passengers who had been unable to use the temporarily evacuated bus station.

An Arriva bus company spokesman said that around 1,000 passengers had been inconvenienced during the day after they were asked to queue at a makeshift bus stop in Deiniol Road.

Spokesman Gareth Jones said: "The timetable has gone out of the window. We're just trying to get people home as best we can."